Winter Carnival: A day in the lives of the Vulcan Krewe

Preschoolers pose with the Vulcan Krewe at St. Paul's Childhood Center. (Pioneer Press: John Doman)

Something you might not know about the 2013 St. Paul Winter Carnival Vulcan Krewe: They apply their own makeup.

They also share cough drops, straighten each other's goggles and warn when trucks are passing too close as they hang off the back of Luverne, their 1932 fire engine and "royal chariot."

They also do their damnedest to shake the Vulcans' reputation for drunken debauchery.

"Somebody's got to realize what actually happens out here: It's not drinking; it's not womanizing. It's making people smile," said Vulcanus Rex the 76th, the leader of this year's Vulcan Krewe.

That's why the Fire King insisted on having a reporter, draped like the Vulcans in a red running suit, ride along with the Krewe for a day -- in hopes of highlighting the fun. In keeping with Winter Carnival tradition, the identities of the Vulcans are kept secret until the end of the carnival.

Vulcanus Rex, a postal employee in the real world, bristles when talking about how the Vulcans' deeds, including fundraising for veterans' groups and schools, are overshadowed by well-publicized behavior lapses in the past.

"I'm going to do something about that as long as I'm with the Vulcans," he said. "For me, it'll probably be my whole life."

The day starts at 8 a.m. in the Kelly Inn off Rice Street in St. Paul, where the Krewe stays throughout 11-day carnival. The eight members -- Vulcanus, Baron Hot Sparkus, Grand Duke Fertilious, the Count of Ashes, Count Embrious, the Duke of Klinker, General Flameous and the Prince of Soot -- have massed in the "den," a suite that serves as the group's war room.

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The ceiling is strung with red lights, and a wall is covered in photos of Vulcans dating back to 1886 and the first Fire King Coal, Col. Delos A. Monfort. Beginning in 1940, the Fire King -- by then called Vulcanus Rex -- started taking a group of six Vulcans on his runs around town. That group also adopted the red firetruck as their chariot, began "marking" carnival-goers with black grease paint and donning the red running suits, capes and goggles.

"No matter what the public sees, there's all of this tradition," Vulcanus said of the display. "It's really amazing how far back this goes."

After making sure goggles are down and there's no hair sticking out of their skull caps, the Krewe moves in formation to the lobby.

"Secure the doors," General Flameous said -- for the first time of many that day -- and the Krewe flanks Vulcanus as he walks outside past staring guests.

The Vulcans flank him again as he rides shotgun on Luverne. Then they take their places on the runners of the truck, clutching leather straps and metal rails.

First stop, breakfast at Joseph's on the West Side, where St. Paul Police Chief Tom Smith stops by the table.

"All hail the Vulcs," he said.

Vulcanus then hands over one of his private coins, emblazoned with a red-and-black dragon head.

"That's going to go right on my desk," Smith said.

Over pancakes and omelets, the Krewe talks about the stops they will be making -- 3M, a preschool and a couple of senior homes -- and how the organization's black marks affected their decisions to sign up.

"It says something about the guys," said Embrious. "They want to apply in spite of it."

"We're all professional men. Three of us are in law enforcement. In our jobs, we take care of people. Why would we get involved in something that would ruin our professional lives?" Vulcanus added.

On the way to 3M in Maplewood, cars honk and drivers make the "V" sign. Some record the spectacle on their smartphones.

The Krewe fake rumbles with the Winter Carnival Royal Family -- Boreas Rex and his brood -- in a 3M atrium and then both families knight employees.

The Krewe then takes a run over to Oakland Cemetery in the North End -- where the Col. Monfort is buried -- to knight general manager Bob Schoenrock for looking after one of their own.

They head to the Monfort family plot for a photo and then hop back on Luverne for lunch -- double cheeseburgers and soda -- at Culver's in Maplewood.

Vulcanus said he gave the Krewe a talk the first Friday of carnival, instructing them on Vulcan etiquette -- nobody sits until he sits; nobody eats until he eats -- and on the prevalence of smartphones in the community.

"Everybody's got one," he said. When the Krewe is out in the community, he said, "act like an adult."

At St. Paul's Childhood Center on Summitt Avenue, a hand-drawn sign greets the Krewe: "All Hail the Vulcs!" The preschoolers have been learning about the Winter Carnival legend, the battle between winter-loving Boreas and summer-loving Vulcanus, and each has been given a Vulcan identity before the visit.

"Don't leave us," one student said as the Krewe prepared to leave. "I want to play a while."

At a Maplewood senior residence, a woman named Marion waits outside, en route to a doctor's appointment. It's her birthday.

"You do good work, guys," she said. "You're good guys. My brother-in-law was a Vulcan."

"How ya doin, hon?" Vulcanus said as he gave her a hug.

"Good, good. Where's the girl who was going to take our picture?" she asked.

The Krewe surrounds her, and the birthday girl's grin grows.

"Well, I'll be dipped," the woman remarked.

Later, Vulcanus said that's the type of reaction he hopes his Krewe -- and all of the Krewes that follow -- get from the community.

"It brings back their childhood," he said. "It brings back that day when the Vulcans came up and smeared them on the cheek."

John Brewer can be reached at 651-228-2093.

If you go

The 127th St. Paul Winter Carnival wraps up this weekend, with a last chance to see the ice sculptures in Rice Park, have family fun at Landmark Center and enjoy the blazin' Torchlight Parade.

There's a pee-wee hockey tournament at the State Fairgrounds on Saturday, Feb. 2, and Sunday, Feb. 3. Family Day events are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Landmark Center on Saturday.

The carnival's big finale is Saturday night in downtown St. Paul with the Torchlight Parade starting at 5:30 p.m., followed by the Vulcan overthrow of King Boreas (signaling the end of winter) on the steps of the James J. Hill Library across from Rice Park and fireworks launched from Raspberry Island.